Sauce Arachide Ivorienne or Côte d’Ivoire-Style Peanut Sauce
Serves 6-10
Note: Red palm oil is sold at specialty African grocery stores; if possible, buy the type with some palm grain pulp in it. Otherwise, clear red palm oil or vegetable oil may be substituted.
A small chicken, 2-3 pounds, cut into pieces
1/4 cup peanut oil
1-2 cups red palm oil, divided
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1-2 pounds soft tomatoes, seeded, chopped and crushed
2-3 teaspoons ground dried shrimp
1-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Maggi bouillon cubes, chicken flavor
2-3 cups raw peanut butter
3-6 cups water
10-15 fresh whole habañero peppers
Long grain white rice, steamed
1. Chop the chicken into small pieces, 1 or 2-inches long, leaving bones in.
2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the 1/4 cup peanut oil and 1/4 cup red palm oil. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large stew pot, heat 1 cup red palm oil over medium-high heat, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Add green pepper, tomatoes, dried shrimp, cayenne and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer browned chicken pieces to pot, add bouillon cubes, and continue to cook at a heavy simmer. In a bowl, mix peanut butter with 1 1/2 to 2 times as much hot water and combine to soften; add mixture to pot.
5. Rinse and stem habaneros, add to pot, and wash hands thoroughly. Simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot often. Add more peanut butter and/or water to achieve the desired thickness. Add salt, pepper, cayenne and additional red palm oil to taste. Cook for about 20—30 minutes.
6. Remove habañeros before serving — or warn diners about them. Serve over long-grain white rice.
— Christiaan Adams, Peace Corp volunteer in Côte d’Ivoire, 1997—99
